The end product of designing tiers is three-dimensional armor in a video game. So yes, it is art.
I don't know how models in a video game can even be equated to clothing store chains when the end product isn't even physical.

And if you think that clothing and fashion design isn't art -- look at the independent/high end designers who design for aesthetics and hand craft clothing. Pretty degrading to even equate fashion design to chain clothing stores, imo. Just because the industry has been overrun by corporations doesn't mean art doesn't exist in the fashion world.

That's why I said pret-a-porter. There's a difference between Gaultier's designs for Pinocchio ballet (for example) and the mainstream sailor-striped pieces which were quite popular a few years back (which also originated from Gaultier's creations). Tier/set pieces (to me) are a lot like pret-a-porter; they're made for quite a big portion of their target market, they're ready-to-wear and they're 'products'.

What the hell happened? Most of these sets seem to be rehashes, maybe 1 or 2 are attractive (looking at warlock pvp set) but most of them are fucking redonculous and ugly with glowy crap and general grossness.

My question is, what the fuck happened? Our sets used to be unique, gorgeous, and related to the armor type, but even the druid tier set looks like Plate.

If you ask me, Blizzard threw originality out of the window near the end of WotLK or start of Cataclysm. Ever since then all the tier gear looks mostly the same.

I still think Tier 2 is the best tier for quite a few classes. And then there are the occasional hidden gems in later tiers, but most are just bad. And they've been getting worse and worse.

I figured it out guys. I too have been wondering why this tier has been so lack-luster, and the front page this morning made it all clear.

The Legendary cloak effects.

You don't want amazing shoulders and helms stealing the thunder of those crazy celestial effects, so the art was toned down 25% or so.

Not really. Blizzard has run out of creativity. I can accomplish good work, even if i don't like it visually. But the current item design, has nothing todo with taste. The colors look desaturated, The shapes of helm / shoulders are not detailed enough, no eyecatchers, textures are very rough instead of fine details. Blizzard jumped on the "everything must have bright edges" train and drives it down the road. The older sets (not all) don't have this and have more a logical relation to its class.

Explain where you come up with this minority concept. Where's the study? Where's the poll? Who the fuck made you omniscient? Stop talking out of your ass about something you have no control over and no evidence to back up your BS claims. :>

Logic and reasoning - things you've encountered once or twice, I assume? No?

And now you're saying that we shouldn't talk about and/or make claims about things we have no control over. Makes sense, right? Do you know what a discussion is?
I've got the majority of this planet as proof, that's just it.

And I wrote all this crap while drunk out of my mind.

Originally Posted by bloodclot

Find me a group of four artists who could do a better job than the current tier team.

I'm sure it won't be hard given that Blizzard don't hire the best and most experienced in their fields, who definitely haven't been drawing and designing since early childhood, who probably haven't spent years honing their craft and they definately don't head hunt the best talent out their at the moment.

I'm looking forward to what you link, I have a feeling I'll laugh, hard

I know of 2-4 modellers/skinners that produce better material than these guys. I don't really give a shit if you believe me or not, since you know nothing of how this works.

I just enjoy seeing ignorant people, like yourself, defending blizzard's mediocre material. Sure, they do put out awesome stuff from time to time, since they obviously have the capability to do it, but that's a minority.

And yeah, I've created models, animations, skins, meshes, whatever. There you go.

I mean, I find them exotics and detailled. I don't understand why of all of this hate against them, especially Death Knight and Druid ones.
I've watched older sets. Some of them are nices, but franckly, some of them not look better than current ones. (T2 Warriors-Hunters-Mage for example).

I play Paladin character, but good God, I can't stand T2-T6 anymore! They look good but nearly 50% of Plate population wear its!

I must admit, I am not really happy with the sets myself. I expected something, that looked more like war between horde an alliance, though of course SoO is not that theme. But I really hoped for a orgrimmar style. Since alliance cant wear horde symbols (tehehe) there could be alliance versions of some items.

I must admit, I am not really happy with the sets myself. I expected something, that looked more like war between horde an alliance, though of course SoO is not that theme. But I really hoped for a orgrimmar style. Since alliance cant wear horde symbols (tehehe) there could be alliance versions of some items.

That's what I was thinking, like Tier 9 except with better looking plate and cloth sets. We really need some good looking faction-oriented stuff that isn't from wintrading RBGs. Changing the color of strobing glow effects on the Conquest gear doesn't count.

OMG 13:37 - Then Jesus said to His disciples, "Cleave unto me, and I shall grant to thee the blessing of eternal salvation."

I think the sets would have been fine as a starting tier or mid tier but they just don't look final tier worthy detail wise. I also think they tried to hard to prevent Horde/Alliance complaints by basing the sets on a place that composes only a quarter of the raid.

T16 is total s h i t. Only one exception is Warlock Set which looks good. Worst set is Druid set - ugly like a hell.
My favorite sets are T3, T2, T11 ( I like hunter set too but with helm switched off) T12 - All most all were beatiuful and few exception on other sets. Best armor was made on Vanila - I have many green colored armor mixed with T11/T12 cataclism. Panda Sets are globally Ugliest ones.